[Pinkmolly21]

I'm trying to figure out what I need to buy for my first reef tank.
It's a 24 gallon nano cube and as this is the first one I buy, I'm not even sure what is included and what I still need to buy...
can anyone give me some advice?

[teajay33]

i found this site really helpful! check it out...


Nano Reef Aquarium: Aquarium Equipment and Supplies - Aqua Buys

[glampka]

The cube will contain just about everything you need except a heater, thermometer & something to clean the glass. You might want to add an extra ph for circulation. Check nanotuners - they have a number of different starter kits that contain the little extras you'll need.

[Zia]

Glampka, I just bought a bio cube. Its a 29 gallon. Its going to arrive on Sat. You say the cube includes everything youll need. Does that mean it includes the thing that checks the salt levels too?
Is a nano cube tank the same thing as a 29 gal. bio cube?

Im new to all this as well. I have horses as my "other" hobby and I just sold all my cyclids in order to concentrate on this salt water world I know very little about.
Oh, also, the live fish shop I frequent says they have cycled water I can buy from them. Is this really a good idea?
Pinkmolly, I hope you dont mind me piggybackying on your thread here to ask these questions.

[glampka]

No, you'll need a hydrometer or refractometer to check the salt levels as well as a heater.
I've never heard of "cycled water". I wouldn't buy it. It's probably just water they took out of their tank for a water change & may have high levels of contaminants.
There are a number of names for the cubes depending on manufacturer - aquapod, bio-cube, nano cube - bascially all the same thing.

[Zia]

Thanks alot glampka.

How about lighting? I read that the lights that come with the bio cube are not good enough to keep a variety of coral and such. If I get the extra lighting needed to have such things how will that fit into the existing hood that comes with the tank and how will I compensate for the additional heat coming from those stronger lights?

[swinginbeef]

check out the nanotuners link from a few posts ago. They have tons of upgrades that keep the outside looking the same but add the required light and cooling fans to cool them.

[blind1993]

also u might need a skimmer if u want to fully stock the tank.

[glampka]

There are some people who feel that you need top modify everything. Stock lighting will probably support most corals you want to keep. The upgrade kits they sell aren't going to increase the lighting much unless you take the top off completely & get a MH light.

[swinginbeef]

agreed. The "upgraded" light for my model that retains my stock hood only takes me from 54 watts to 64 watts. Not worth $100 to me.

[RyanG]

Originally Posted by swinginbeef

agreed. The "upgraded" light for my model that retains my stock hood only takes me from 54 watts to 64 watts. Not worth $100 to me.

Whoa! Rip off!

[swinginbeef]

that's just on my smaller AP12 model though. The stock lighting was one of the main reasons I chose the AP12 over the other 24's. They all came with similar lighting to the stock 54 watts that mine came with so they NEED upgraded. The larger tanks have better upgrades (that will double the light output) but they get pricey and this is 'supposed to be' a low budget build.

[reefnoob1991]

I got my 29 gal biocube for 212$ and upgraded from 72 watts to 108 watts for 70$

[Zia]

thanks everybody.

Hey reefnoob, did you have to modify the hood to get this extra wattage and if not, where did you get the upgrade? I dont want to modify the hood.

Im buying different magazines and reading here to figure out just how to proceed. Do I need reef salt or can I use Marine salt to start up the tank with and can I continue to use the same salt throughout the life of the tank?

Blind 1993, doesnt a skimmer come with the biocube? I need to call the LFS to find out for myself I guess.
Im suppose to pick it up tomorrow.
I might of paid too much for it but I was taking in my cyclids and felt so bad about it that I just bought the tank right then.
Ive been planning on changing over to saltwater for a while now. My filteration system died on me the other day so I figured now was a good time to start the process.
Ah, my first time to use the acronym, LFS...lol
I keep going over to the empty tank to turn on the lights for my cyclids but the tank is empty now and my guys are at the LFS. I sure hope my parrot and midas get good homes. I told them to try and sell them together, they were such good friends. I miss them. They were my little, well kinda little, friends.
The woman at the LFS assures me that I will like this saltwater "situation" but Im being patient about it. I dont want to make too many mistakes with this.
I must have a watchman gobi and a crab for him but I know that is a while off yet.
Oh that reminds me, will i need crushed coral AND sand for him?

[reefnoob1991]

I got a retrokit, basically it's a DIY installation and I kept the hood but changed out the ballast (thing that holds the lighting)...very easy. The only difference between marine salt (which im guessing is for fish only) and reef salt (reef tanks i'm guessing) is the minerals they contain...such as calcium magnesium etc. etc. Whatever salt you choose your going to have to supplement the tank anyways to keep your levels in check. kent and seachem make good supplement products I use kent's nano buffer part a and b and that has treated me well so far. The biocube doesn't come with a skimmer but on nanotuners new lighting retrokits and biocube skimmers can be bought for cheap. Crushed coral isn't recommended because it traps all particles and can raise nitrate levels after a while. I switched to a finer sand and haven't had a problem since. If your tank is anything like mine some of the live rock will break off little pieces...which i'm sure will make nice building materials for your goby's home. Hope my post was a help

[blind1993]

it comes with a surface skimmer but not a protein skimmer i figured that out by looking at their setup.

[reefnoob1991]

It's just an overflow with a grate which is an overflow surface skimmer

[lacybiker2000]

OK, my biocube has that overflow surface skimmer, how is this different from a protein skimmer and will I still need one of those?

[reefnoob1991]

People say you do and don't, that's all up to you. Basically they just remove the extra organic crap out of the water, but if you use RO water and have alot of LR and LS then you should be fine.

[blind1993]

but if u want alot of load then get one and a protein skimmer is totaly dif if u like look up on google ul see what it is.

[reefnoob1991]

I have 3 fish right now and plenty of crabs,corals, etc. I use filter media like denitrate and matrix by seachem and I have yet to need a skimmer.

[Kimjo1]

Originally Posted by Zia

Glampka, I just bought a bio cube. Its a 29 gallon. Its going to arrive on Sat. You say the cube includes everything youll need. Does that mean it includes the thing that checks the salt levels too?
Is a nano cube tank the same thing as a 29 gal. bio cube?

Im new to all this as well. I have horses as my "other" hobby and I just sold all my cyclids in order to concentrate on this salt water world I know very little about.
Oh, also, the live fish shop I frequent says they have cycled water I can buy from them. Is this really a good idea?
Pinkmolly, I hope you dont mind me piggybackying on your thread here to ask these questions.

Hi, NO please don't buy water from your LFS as someone said here.. its just water from one of thier tanks. You have to worry about IF any of the fish in one of the tanks has had Ick or if any additives were used like Copper for treatment of sick fish... You DONT want that in your new tank.
If you use Live Sand and Live Rock you will be better off. Mix fresh SW for yourself =) =) Just My Opionion
Gl and share pics with us, Kim